by Sabrina York
She giggled. Seriously? The naughtiness of the situation stirred up butterflies in her stomach.
Images of her fantasy date formed in her mind. Dark hair, blue eyes, a perfect, seductive smile. Oh, and he had to be tall, over six feet, and have a body made for a night of pleasure.
“Okay, I’m doing it.” Her fingers flew over the keys as she filled out the online form and questionnaire. “I deserve a one-night stand.”
***
Darian logged into his email account. An unusual message flashed in his inbox. Madame Eve with 1Night Stand. Why did that sound familiar?
A vague recollection of his daughter mentioning the dating service two weeks before came to mind and he growled. God, please tell me she didn’t. He skimmed through the email and snatched the phone from the desk.
“Hello, Father.” A sweet and cheerful female voice answered after one ring.
“Where are you?”
“Shopping. Is there a problem?”
“You know anything about why I would receive a message from 1Night Stand?” He tried to stay calm and not overreact. The email could be a mistake. Maybe Kat had nothing to do with it.
“Oh! She found a match so soon? That’s great. You’ll have fun.”
Fun? “Katrina, I didn’t request to be set up on a date. I can’t go meet a complete stranger and….” he scanned the email again. “…and spend the night with her?”
“Oh, Daddy, please. This is my gift to you. Now be the adult and have fun.” Her sweet tone did nothing to soothe his growing annoyance.
“Kat….”
“I’m sick of you moping around the mansion. You need a change in your life. Besides, when was the last time you had sex?” She assumed the firm tone she used to make her point in their rare arguments.
“I’m not discussing my sex life with you.” Even if she was over one hundred fifty years old. “Besides, what about Wyman Enterprises? I can’t leave.”
“Whatever. You have an awesome VP who will handle everything while you’re away. I seem to do just fine when you travel around the world acquiring smaller companies.” She sighed. “You deserve to enjoy yourself. Mom would have wanted you to go on with your life and be happy. For once, be reckless, and have fun. I have to go. There’s a pair of cute boots calling my name.”
The phone fell silent. Kat’s way of ending most conversations.
Damn. She’d played the Mom card. His chest tightened. Alexis, his late wife, wouldn’t want him unhappy.
But a one-night stand with a stranger? Not happening.
He had a software company to run. One he’d built from a single gaming program he developed when computers first entered the market. He hadn’t had a vacation or even a day off in months.
He could call her back and demand she cancel this ridiculous arrangement, or maybe he would do it himself. But he couldn’t make a demand on her, never had been able to. And it would break her heart if he turned down a gift.
Maybe she knew his life had lost its appeal. Studying the email, a smile tugged at his lips. Excitement sparked in his chest. He had a date with a huntress. A chuckle slipped from him before he could stop it. It would be fun to be chased and maybe captured by the right female.
He clicked on the confirmation link, before he changed his mind. His first adventure in eleven centuries was about to begin.
***
Ema arrived at the Castillo Ski Lodge and Resort in the French Alps with knots in her stomach and pinch-me-now disbelief rolling inside her mind. Reality settled in, releasing the swarm of butterflies from her stomach to race along her nervous system. She’d been amazed by how fast Madame Eve had found a match. She hoped it wouldn’t be some weirdo vamp wannabe with fake fang implants. Yuk!
Clinging to fact that the applicants were screened for mental illness, she pushed the creepy image out of her mind.
The Alps mesmerized her while the VIP helicopter carried her to the resort. Valleys filled with green foliage were framed by white peaks. She shivered at the chilling sight of the snow. The perfect weather for a cozy fire and a glass of wine. Maybe she’d order some once she caught her dark angel.
The helicopter touched down several yards from the lodge. A middle-aged gentleman greeted her on the landing pad, took her bag from the pilot and ushered her into the resort. Dressed in a fine wool coat, he spoke with a thick French accent. “It’s good to meet you, Miss Black. I’m Edmond. Let me know if you need anything during your stay.”
“Nice to meet you, too.” She smiled and followed him toward the resort. An immense crystal chandelier dominated the entrance. The lobby and lounge stole her breath. Deep rosewood trim accented cream-beige walls. Floor-to-ceiling gold curtains with tiny ribbons of crimson woven into the fabric were drawn back to reveal a panoramic view of the picturesque scenery.
The blunt heels on her boots clicked against the gleaming marble floor as she followed Edmond to the elevators.
Silence filled the small space as it glided to the fifth floor. Her stomach flipped over and over like the thing was hosting a Zumba class.
She jumped when Edmond broke the silence with his raspy voice. “Your hunt starts at sunset and ends at sunrise. What you do beyond that time is up to you.” She blushed at the knowing smile on his face.
When they reached her room, he turned to her. “You’ll find everything you need inside.” He opened the door and carried her bag inside. “Enjoy your evening.” He dipped his head before leaving her alone in the room.
Closing the door behind him, she marveled at the beauty of the accommodations. A fireplace framed in natural stone held a stack of wood ready for lighting and another pile lay in a copper holder on the hearth.
Ema ran her hand across the king-size canopy bed’s gold and wine down comforter on her way to the balcony. Sliding the curtains open, she took in the purity of the view. Wind swirled around snow covered peaks that glowed amber in the setting sun.
Opening the French doors and stepping out on the balcony, she inhaled clean, crisp air. Pure heaven.
I’m doing the right thing. She needed excitement in her life, to be with a man with no strings attached. No explaining her weirdness.
With a sigh, she wandered back inside and frowned. An elegant box with a note lay on the foot of the bed. Strange. She hadn’t heard anyone come into the room. How did it get there?
Lifting the note card in her trembling fingers, she read it.
There is only one rule. Play at your own risk. 1Night Stand will not be liable for any injuries or deaths during your date. Although we try to encourage you not to kill each other. Your hunt begins at sunset in the forest surrounding the retreat. Enjoy your adventure.
Death? Injury, maybe. After all they would be running around acting out an adult version of hide and seek, but death? How realistic did Madame Eve make this? Ema had expected some realism. She needed heart pounding, blood racing adventure. She would avoid the death possibility, of course. This was a game. Wasn’t it? God, she hoped so, and not some survivor rip-off killing match.
Shaking off that last thought, she opened the box with so much anticipation she could burst. Black cargo pants and a matching long-sleeve shirt lay neatly folded inside. A wooden box rested under the clothes and she pulled it out and lifted the lid. A gun with two clips, a plastic container of paintballs, and a pocketknife. At least the cargo pants made sense now. It wasn’t quite the look she’d hoped for, but pockets were a good thing.
This is going to be too much fun.
A few minutes later, Ema set out along the path leading into the forest. How would she attract her vampire? Should she just wander around until she found him? That didn’t sound very huntress-like, but unless she stumbled across a clue of some kind, it was all she could think to do.
The only information the agency had given her about her mark was his first name, Darian. She said it several times. It tasted sweet on her tongue, like silky, dark chocolate.
Ten minutes of aimless strolling down the path didn�
��t bring her vamp to her. She stopped and peered around. Slivers of moonlight filtered through the branches and cast a silver glow on the ground. A soft breeze rustled the needles of the evergreens.
Absorbing the energy of the natural world around her, she had an idea. She couldn’t sit and wait for her dark lover to show. No, she would have to hunt him. Live out her fantasy. In a real situation she would need blood to lure in her prey.
We have to meet somewhere, right?
It was a staged hunt. The agency wouldn’t let them get lost in an unknown forest, at night.
Okay, stop it, Ema. She shoved the anxious thoughts away and focused on her plan to lure the vampire.
She pulled a knife from her back pocket and pricked her finger. Blood pooled out of the tiny hole. She scattered droplets on the leaves of bushes and the trees trunks. She paused when she picked up an unnatural presence, a dark magic in the air. When she tried to reach out with her paranormal sight, it disappeared. She’d lived in the coven long enough to recognize it, though. And the only creatures to possess dark magic were demons and vampires.
Hope filled her that Darian might be a real vampire drawn by her blood trail. The image of a tall and mysterious man with strong arms and a hard body sent shivers across her skin. Vampires were said to be beautiful and physically fit. The curse kept them young and very much alive—rather than the soulless, undead creatures humans believed them to be.
She’d come face-to-face with only one. Handsome beyond anything natural, he’d scared the shit out her. His dark aura kept people at a distance. Humans didn’t understand their reaction, but Ema did. She had always been aware of the supernatural.
The coven elders believed she had some kind of preternatural gene. They couldn’t determine which species, but it was responsible for her slow aging as well.
At a rustle from the underbrush, her heart rate sped up and fear burned in her belly. A large, silver wolf emerged from the nearby brush and stalked straight for her. She sucked in a breath and tried to calm her nerves. The huge animal was no werewolf. He lacked the mixture of human and wolf energy her unusual gift identified in a shifter. She wouldn’t be able to reason with the hungry animal that had scented her blood.
Damn it. Stupid move, Ema.
She took off at a run. The wolf gave chase.
Feet pounding the forest floor, she zigzagged through the pines, trying to confuse the animal. A fierce growl and snap of teeth sounded way too close for her liking. Her muscles burned and her lungs refused to process enough air. The terror raging through her veins didn’t help either. A werewolf visiting the coven had explained that wolves used their impeccable sense of smell to hunt food. Her fear would fuel his need to kill. But if she stopped running, she was dead.
Fuck.
She peered behind her. The wolf slowed and let out a low growl. Ema darted around another tree and cut to her left. A little farther on, she swerved right and glanced over her shoulder.
The predator stopped and scented the air. She shivered—did he smell something coming?
Oh, please don’t let there be another one around, or worse.
Out of curiosity she stopped and faced the animal, wondering what made him abandon the chase. The dark magic she’d sensed earlier was back. Shit. Her pulse picked up and she paced backward, careful not to alert the wolf to her escape. She hit a hard wall of muscle and froze. Warm hands wrapped around her biceps. An otherworldly power nipped her skin. Flames of desire shot straight to her sex.
Lips brushed her ear lobe. Warm breath touched her cheek. He smelled of sandalwood and cedar. An odd combination that she’d smelled on witches. “Stand still. He’ll move on soon.”
The harsh reminder doused the inferno building inside her. She returned her gaze to the animal. He turned his head to the side, let out a soft whimper, and trotted off into the woods.
Ema turned to face her savior and gasped. His eyes reflected the light of the full moon in a way no human’s could and his dark aura confirmed her suspicions. A real vampire.
Dark hair framed his face and fell just past his chin. God, she wanted to touch him, but the power surrounding him made her hesitate.
“Darian?”
He gave a short nod and a tight lipped smile. “Your little stunt worked.”
Damn. His voice lured her and made her want him to whisper naughty things while he drove his cock deep inside her.
She shook off the flood of lust. “Yeah, a little too well.”
“But the question is, Emalee, are you safer with the wolf or me?” Then he disappeared. Vanished into thin air.
An earthy scent and powerful essence wrapped around her. Darian. She closed her eyes and focused on his energy. He’d given her a way to track him. Following the pull of his signature, she raced after him. She had to somehow outsmart the vamp.
A sharp pain hit her rear end. She cried out in shock, rubbed her ass, brought her finger to her nose, and sniffed. The sharp scent of paint overwhelmed her. Really?
“You asked for it.”
A male chuckle echoed through the forest right before he appeared beside her. She jumped. He ran his knuckles down her cheek to her neck where he rested his fingers against her pulse. Her heart rate increased and the air grew thick.
Then he faded away, again.
Fuckin’ tease.
She pulled her weapon out of the waistband of her pants, clicked the safety off and ran after him. Following his magical signature, she found him with ease. Did he want to be caught? She eased around a large cypress to sneak up on him.
Stings of electrifying energy reached out to her, coating her arms, and then vanished. A few moments later, the sensation swirled around her again. “What are you doing, Darian?”
His dark form stepped into view several feet in front of her. She aimed and fired three shots. With a curse he disappeared again, but he didn’t flash.
Holding her gun at shoulder level, she stalked toward the ancient trunk. Her heart thumped and her hands shook. She rounded it. Not there.
Lowering her arms, she reached out with her senses. Confusion blanketed her. In a sudden motion, he flattened her back against the tree.
“Never let your guard down.”
Ema swallowed. He pressed his body against hers, his thick erection pushed into her abdomen. She tamped down the need to wrap her legs around his waist. Never had she felt such a strong pull from anyone. She didn’t understand why she wanted this man…no, vampire, so badly. It had to be the legendary allure of his kind.
His eyes narrowed to slits.
Power passed over her, intensifying her desire for him. She moaned and rotated her hips against him. “What will you do with me now?”
A naughty smirk formed, but disappeared. His muscles bunched and his grip on her tightened. A cool sensation raced up her spine.
A dark essence reached out from the darkness, breaking his hold on her. Three men stepped into view.
“Vampires,” she hissed out before she could stop the words. Darian’s curious gaze met hers, but she didn’t explain. She didn’t have time before he took off with inhuman speed, holding her against him. Trees blurred by, at least she hoped it was the forest and not more vamps. What in the hell were they doing here? She’d only asked for one.
Darian came to a stop and set her on her feet.
“Who are they?”
“Hunters.”
“Vampire hunters? I mean they’re vampires and hunters? What do they want?” She crossed her arms over her chest and looked into his face.
“Not sure.”
With a shrill whistle, something zipped through her ponytail. Fear froze her in place and her heart sank to her feet. She glared at Darian and then at the tree next to her. An arrow stuck out of the trunk.
Chapter Two
You will not hyperventilate. Calm down, Ema, this is all staged. “They tried to kill me!”
Darian paced and scanned the darkness. “How did you know they were vampires?”
She tur
ned her back on him, holding her silence.
“Answer the question. I need to know what I’m dealing with.”
Her head snapped up at his icy tone. “What you’re dealing with? They shot an arrow at me!”
“How did you know we were vampires?”
She sighed. The magical energy from the other vamps edged closer. Trapped, she had no choice but to trust him. This night keeps getting better and better. “Your auras are different from other beings.”
He tsked. “Are you a witch?”
She shook her head. “I’ve always been able to see the paranormal.”
“That’s a problem.”
She whirled to face him with her hands on her hips. “A problem?”
“The Vampire Council’s number one rule is secrecy. You are in violation of that rule, a threat.”
“I’ve never told anyone about my abilities. Hell, no one would believe me.”
He returned to pacing. After a few seconds, he took her hand and led her deeper into the forest. “I have a plan, but you have to play along.”
“What kind of plan?”
He stopped and faced her. “Just promise to agree with what I say.”
She searched his face for the slightest sign of untruths, a twitch or telling glance. When she didn’t see any, she nodded and hoped to God she wasn’t selling her soul. “Don’t make me regret this.”
The three scowling vamps caught up to them. But to her surprise, their ill-tempered glares were directed at Darian. He took her by the arm and pulled her behind him. As if. She shifted to peer around him. He wrapped her arms around his waist and held them in place, letting out a soft growl the moment their bodies made contact. Sexual need rolled off him and she relished how wonderful it felt. Closing her eyelids, she pressed her forehead to his back.
When one of the newcomers spoke, she lifted her head and shifted to stand under Darian’s left arm, defying his efforts to keep her behind him.
